FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:

Position Statement for Austin Pets Alive! on Auditorium Shores

The mission of Austin Pets Alive! is to provide the resources, education and programs needed to eliminate the killing of companion animals.

Austin, the nation’s largest No-Kill city, continues to face the challenge of rescuing and adopting large breed dogs. This is the type of dog most likely to be on the euthanasia list at the Austin City Shelter as well as other shelters.

Austin Pets Alive! provides programs specifically designed for large dogs and we know how important regular exercise is for these dogs. In order to be lovely housemates and family members, large dogs need places to run and play.

With the number of families in the downtown core currently and the rapid growth expected in the near future, it is vital to our No-Kill status that we provide ample parks for running and playing in the downtown area.

We need to remove the barriers to adoption of large breed dogs and fill homes with the dogs whose lives depend on our ability to do so. Decreasing access to places for a large breed dog, that resides downtown in a condo or apartment, to run and play could possibly negatively impact a family’s decision to adopt or keep their dog.

We believe it is counter intuitive for our city to be shrinking dog parks, rather than expanding them. We believe it makes our mission and the city’s mission of No-Kill much more difficult.

Together, as a community focused on the greatest good for all – human and animal – we should continue to be a model for the nation in preserving this type of precious park area.

For more information about this issue and the upcoming meeting on December 10th: